6 metre recomendations

[Guest JudgeMental]

Going over to Germany Half term to look at some vans, wife not sure that a panel van will be big enough for us:-S Before making a decision maybe looking around at other 6 metre vans pref with a garage, just to make sure *-)

 

The Adria compact SP looks nice....any other campers I have not thought of would be welcome.

 

Anyone bought a LHD Adria? any problems with servicing/damp check here?

[ips]

We looked at the adria compact but opted for the chausson flash 04 instead as in our opinion it was a nicer van and was on a ford tranny which I prefer. Would definately reccomend you look at the flash we have been very very pleased with ours and the garage is great storage, unless you clutter it by putting a scooter in there as we did. :-D

[Mel B]

Wot 'ips' said! :D

[LordThornber]

JudgeMental - 2011-01-28 12:34 PM

Wife not sure that a panel van will be big enough for us

 

Hate to remind you Judge, ( I don't really :D ), I mentioned when you were asking questions last year, that would a PVC be big enough for you in the cooler months when you're inside the van more than out.

 

I know we couldn't go back to one. I guess it depends on your winter usage though. Good luck with the trip.

 

Martyn

[hallii]

Hymer Van 522

 

H

[Guest Tracker]

Unless you specifically want a panel van you get a lot more space for your cash in the same length and height coachbuilt, albeit by gaining of a bit of width, and coachbuilts tend to better insulated and cost less. Possibly panel vans might be more secure - don't really know?

 

Having tried a couple of van conversions over the years I can't see any real advantage in having less space and paying more for it, so having got used to the size and space of a coachbuilt do think long and hard before downsizing?

 

Even though you are a cantankerous old bugger I would derive no pleasure from seeing you get it wrong!

[ham]

I choose a PVC for two reasons I have a double garage that a 6m panel van would fit in. Secondly there are only 2 of us. So the size suited us. If you do look at any PVC DO check the insulation as on some of them there is next to nothing. I have driven Vans of all shapes and sizes form small to large, So I also took into account that with a larger van I would have difficulty in parking in many places with a PVC I do not. What you need to consider also is will a panel van have a big enough bed for you being only 5ft 4 I had no problems. my current van is Trigano tribute 650. You got the show at the NEc next month last year there where a number of PVC vans on display ... Phil

[John.N]

I cringe at asking this question but please forgive my ignorance.

What is a panel van and what is a coachbuilt? Are they both on existing commercial vehicle bases? Is a PVC angular with aluminium panels and a coachbuilt moulded GRP? I know what an A class is and understand that an overcab is for extra berths but some of the other descriptive terms are a little confusing. A brief glossary would be very helpful.

[Guest Tracker]

No problem John - we all had to find out one way or another - and that's what forums are for innit!!

 

A panel van conversion is a motorhome fitted into the original pressed steel panelled body of the sort of van that 'white van man' drives. It's limitations are the curved and odd shapes of the side and rear panels and doors but these are also it's strong points in it's compactness and potential for security. That said glass or plastic windows will never be 100% secure!

 

As you understand A class, a coachnuilt has a motorhome similar to the A class but starting from just rearwards of the original van cab doors and is built on what is generally known as a 'chassis cab' base vehicle.

 

A chassis cab has the front and greasy bits business end plus the original cab of a normal van but the back end is cut away behind the front doors and the floor is replaced by a flat platform - generally on a strengthened chassis - in place of the pressed steel integral floor of the panel van on which it is based.

 

Coachbuilts come with up to either a full and often hideously bulbous overcab where there is enough internal room for a party or down to just a small storage cupboard over the cab, these often beingdescribed as 'low profile', - and then all shapes and sizes in between.

[Keithl]

John.N - 2011-01-28 4:00 PM

 

I cringe at asking this question but please forgive my ignorance.

What is a panel van and what is a coachbuilt? Are they both on existing commercial vehicle bases? Is a PVC angular with aluminium panels and a coachbuilt moulded GRP? I know what an A class is and understand that an overcab is for extra berths but some of the other descriptive terms are a little confusing. A brief glossary would be very helpful.

 

John,

 

Further to Trackers reply there's quite a good explanation of M/H terms on the OAL website Here. It might be a couple of years old but the information should still be good.

 

HTH,

Keith.

[nuevoboy]

I know we're veering away from the original question and appreciate the above descriptions.

I was just wondering why Hymer's B-class 'vans are called so, if they are actually A-class.

And aren't there some A-class 'vans which use the original "front bit" of an ordinary 'van (rather than a complete new coachbuilt on a specific chassis?

[Guest JudgeMental]

Yes a Hymer B class is an A class.......Can we get back on topic please :-D

[T8LEY]

We have a PVC at the moment but looked at coachbuilts, under 6m, with drop down beds, at the last NEC show. I was particularly drawn by the new Rapido 700FF. The Chausson Welcome Suite looks interesting, with its island kitchen as well, and Burstner have the Ixeo Time 585.

 

We are trying to get away from making a bed up every night so drop downs seem ideal. They also make more flexible lounge/diner/kitchen layouts possible.

[flicka]

Hi Judge

The Adria Compact SP is no longer listed for the 2011 models - http://www.adria-motorhomes.com/

Possibles LP models

Hobby Van T500 FSC, 5.99m long x 2.14m wide

Dethleffs Globebus T1 or T2, 5.98m long x 2.15m wide

Burstner Travel Van T571G, 6.16m long x 2.15m wide. (has a Garage)

Don't know if you have discounted "A" Class vans?

If not, he Dethleffs Globebus I1 may be an option. It comes in at 6m long & is comparable to a PVC width @2.15m.

or the Pilote Aventura G600LPA & G600TGA come in at 6m long & 2.05m wide.

Rapido has been already been mentioned & their "A" Class 9F 903 is 5.99m long x butwider @ 2.35m.

Have a good trip to Germany & hope you get sorted.

[Brian Kirby]

JudgeMental - 2011-01-28 6:04 PM Yes a Hymer B class is an A class.......Can we get back on topic please :-D

OK Grumpy, seeing it's you!!  :-D

Sunlight T57 (Fiat), Carado T134 (Fiat), Challenger Genesis 31 and 34 (Ford), Chausson Flash 01 and 04 (Ford: basically Challenger clones), CI Elliot Easy Garage KP (Ford), Roller Team Auto-Roller Joy KP (Ford: probably clone of former), Benimar Tessoro 400 (Ford: which has diesel fuelled heating and is only 2.11M wide, where the rest are all around 2.3M), McLouis McVan (Fiat).  All the above are 6.3M long or less, the majority 5.99M, and all are transverse double bed over garage.  There is a Benimar  Tessoro 440 which has twin singles, but is 6.59M long.  If you want to go over 6.3M long I can add more to the list.  All the above are listed at under E40,000 OTR in France for the basic version.  Probably similar prices in Germany. 

For more dosh Hymer Van variants and Excis variants, Hobby/Fendt Van, Dethleffs Globebus variants.

[nuevoboy]

JudgeMental - 2011-01-28 6:04 PM

 

Yes a Hymer B class is an A class.......Can we get back on topic please :-D

 

Sorry Judge, just trying to do a little learning here.

Consider forelock severely tugged, M'lud. :-(

[Guest Tracker]

JudgeMental - 2011-01-28 6:04 PM

 

Yes a Hymer B class is an A class.......Can we get back on topic please :-D

 

Sorry that you're still feeling cantankerous Eddie - what was it this time - dodgy curry?

 

Please spare a thought for those newcomers to the forum who are keen to take part and learn but are unaware of the dangers of being put down by the 'topic police patrols'?

 

With respect, maybe a little more tolerance towards less experienced newer members would be appreciated please?

 

Thanks

[John.N]

Tracker, thank you very much for your thorough and simple explanation. I can easily understand that. This forum is excellent for the information, technical and otherwiswe, proffered by the many helpful members. Much of the banter is entertaining too but it is a pity when it ocasionally gets out of hand and into the realms of acrimony or goes on at lenght about irrelevant matters.

[Minstrel]

We saw the Windax Europa at Shepton Mallet and were very impressed, it has lots of insulation, the leather seats are very slippery, but there are material choices instead. Shower room a little small.

 

What about the Chameleon slide out, quite interesting.

[Symbol Owner]

Sir Judge,

If you are now in the market for a high-class German compact coachbuilt, then the Karmann Colorado 550 should surely come into your reckoning, IMHO. -- less than 6m long -- but no garage(?) Wonderful VW base vehicle!

Good hunting in Germany!

 

Cheers,

 

Colin.

 

P.S.my local motorhome dealer has the Adria compact for sale at £40.000 -- £4000 off the U.K list price -- presumably because it is going out of production -- RHD though, so not for you!

[Guest JudgeMental]

Thanks for the ideas, but the more I look at small coachbuilt the more sure I am that I want a PVC :-D

 

Colin £44.000 for a relatively low spec UK Adria van? when a much higher spec 2011 model can be had for £10.000 cheaper in Germany.......

[Mel B]

Judge, how can I put this diplomatically, errrrr ...

 

When looking for a van (I assume with a fixed rear bed with garage underneath) make sure that if it has a 'movable' bed, ie can be raised/lowered, that the weight it can support is sufficient for your needs ... you're not the 'lightest' of motorhomers after all .... :D

[Guest JudgeMental]

Mel B - 2011-01-29 3:20 PM

 

Judge, how can I put this diplomatically, errrrr ...

 

When looking for a van (I assume with a fixed rear bed with garage underneath) make sure that if it has a 'movable' bed, ie can be raised/lowered, that the weight it can support is sufficient for your needs ... you're not the 'lightest' of motorhomers after all .... :D

 

(I am trying and succeeding a likle bit in losing weight)

 

We slept in a Karmen Davis overnight at Belgian dealer when some warranty work was being carried out on ours. It was fine, no complaints, the corridor was narrow and would take some getting used to, but getting back to basics, our coachbuilt just sits there most of the time, little used and a bit pointless really?

 

we are mainly fair weather campers, so I am sure the panel van will do us as we are campers at heart not motorhomers....

 

My Belgian dealer stocks Karmen so may well go for the Davis, similar to Adria/Hymer car 322 but a bit smaller fridge and diesel heating the only drawbacks. will see what kind af deal he offers in comparison to the German possl/globecar/Adria dealer :-D

 

 

[ekka]

I'm new at this game but also needed a sub 6 meter vehicle, so 3 years ago I bought my first van, a coach built with luton over the cab bed, used it only once, a Fiat Ducato 1.9 tdi that did 0 - 60 in three weeks, it used to give up at the sight of a hill, plus an enormous amount of rattles that we could not eliminate, this does seem to be a theme with a lot of coach builts.

Van two, a coach built Elnagh marlin low profile fixed bed, better but still very under powered this time a 2 litre JTD both of these vans suffered from big sticky out mirrors due to the extra width of a coach built which often resulted in some heart stopping moments around here in rural Wales.

Van three, a Trigano tribute 2.3 Jtd panel van conversion that laughed off hills and gave me 32/34 mpg. Downside, a bit of a faff putting up the beds, which became a the bane of our lives remembering which cushion went where.

Van four ( present ) a IH Savanna tio Ducato panel van conversion 2.8 JTD. with a rear u shape seating/bed area and a fixed rear panel where the original panel van doors used to be, hardly a single rattle to be heard, apart from the missus. All mod cons including oven, shower, etc, downside, one of you always needs to be sat down to keep out of each others way, and when you open that cavernous side loading door your heat escapes instantly, or in the better weather the flies / mozzies are in instantly. The one thing that surprised us was that we were ablt to accommodate everything with space to spare that we had in the coach builts. In short take a look at an IH with the fixed rear panel design that eliminates the loss of useful space and has a rear boot into the bargain but if you don't mind second hand I would go for the pre 2007 Ducato base vehicle, or possibly a Timberland, I'm sure there are others too. The BIG advantage with a panel van conversion is they are more car like to drive,and less likely to leak, but of course the downside is you have all that metal that can and does rust. In short, in my experience nothing less than a 2.8, and insist on a good long test drive preferably with full water tanks and a few hills, nothing more tiring than constantly up and down the gearbox.

 

As we are now retired we envisage getting rid of the car now completely and using the van as our main source of transport, the plus side being I can have a brew up whilst the missus goes off wandering around the shops. So on balance a panel van does it for us, but I still look longingly at vehicles like a nice Carthago or the like if ever the lottery comes up.

 

I should add that I have wasted around £15000/£20000 in three years to get to this point, so if I was doing it all again I would try to hire the type of van I had short listed say for a week to see the pitfalls and hope to get it right first time.

[Guest JudgeMental]

Have been at this a while so no need for expensive learning curve mistakes:-D

 

One thing I have learnt, is keep the cost and amount of extras in check and dont get carried away, because when you come to sell you will lose out otherwise.

 

I prefer the rear opening doors with flip up bed for storage and for practical load carrying reasons....

 

so its either the Adria Twin SP or Karmann Davis 590 I think